


The Courtship of Melinda May

by tessathetesla



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Coulson Academy, Courtship, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon, Robot/Human Relationships, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:02:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28176597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tessathetesla/pseuds/tessathetesla
Summary: Melinda May and Phil Coulson grapple with their relationship post season 7 reunion. Phil wants to win her heart again, and is willing to take things slow.
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

"You might be seeing me.” The words echoed in May’s mind, hours after the reunion had finished. She had gotten through her lecture and meetings for the day, and finally got a quiet moment in her office.

She knew Phil Coulson was up to something. He was normally a very direct and honest person, except when he had a plan in mind. Then he could play evasive all day. That’s what made him an amazing spy. They had talked over the past year, and both were at the Lighthouse base for several months while SHIELD was being rebuilt. Coulson helped Mack with recruitment, fixing tech, and doing whatever he could to make sure the team was in good shape for whatever crisis comes in the future. She was tasked with teaching Kora, Flint, and Sousa everything they needed to know about the 21st century.

Then, about 6 months after they came back to the right timeline, the Academy was finished, so her and Flint moved across the country. Coulson had moved to HQ to help Mack with various missions. They had both chatted before the move, and May had asked Coulson for some more space and time before restarting any relationship. They still chatted over texting and the phone, but keeping to surface conversations. She had been working 12-14 hour days getting the Academy finished and teaching several classes. She barely had time to sleep, let alone start a relationship. But that was then, this was now. She had hired assistants, recruited more professors, and Flint had encouraged her to drop a class this semester. She actually had time to think and slow down, and think about her future.

Could that future include this Coulson 2.0? She fully believed he had a soul, and that he was a second version of Coulson, much like how Fitz was a second Fitz. Coulson grappled with his own existence often. The two of them needed to figure out themselves before figuring out what they felt about each other. But, as time went on, May realized how much she missed his companionship. So seeing him at the reunion stirred something in her once again. She could begin again. So she tried to make it clear that she wanted to see him, in a sort of subtle way, but she thinks he got the message.

As she finished up her work, there was a knock on her door. “Professor May?”

“Yes, please come in.”

Her assistant came in with a bouquet of flowers, “This says it’s from a Jamie Flugleman?”

May couldn’t help but smile. That was Coulson’s undercover name in the Framework. Subtle. “Thanks, I’ll take those.”

Within the bouquet there was a note attached, she read it to herself,

“Dear Melinda,

Thinking of our little family today. Of you and Daisy and the rest of the team. You looked lovely. How about you call me when you can and we can chat about me coming to visit the Academy.

-Phil Coulson”

What was Coulson up to? She appreciated the flowers, it was a kind, if not old fashioned gesture. She made it home and gave him a call as soon as she walked into the door.

“Hey Phil, this a good time?”

“Always a good time, did you get the flowers?”

“Yes, thank you. It was sort of cute. I liked the daisy in it.”

“Thanks! So would tomorrow be a good time to stop by? I think I could make an afternoon class if I fly all night”

May gave a confused look, “Fly?”

Coulson replied, “Oh yeah. Mack made me a new Lola! And SHE FLIES.”

May couldn’t help but laugh, “Of course! That’s why he had you go back to HQ.”

“So, tomorrow?”

“Yes Phil, tomorrow. How about you talk to my SHIELD history class? They would love to see you.”

>>>

May spent a considerable amount of time in the morning getting the house and herself ready for Phil’s visit. She offered to him a room at her house, she had several guest rooms as of the SHIELD team would stop by between missions for a night or two. “Okay Melinda, it’s just Phil. Don’t be nervous.”

Her doorbell rang and she opened it to see a smiling Phil. Her heart swelled. She gave him a huge hug.

“Oh hey May! Good to see you too.” Phil couldn’t believe it. Her smile was radiant. It seems like her emotions were back. And in a big way.

“Made some coffee, you still like it black I assume?” May grabbed his bag and put it in the living room.

“Yeah, thanks. Here, come with me to the car, I have a gift for you.” Phil grinned, taking May’s hand and leading her outside.

“Wow, Mack really outdid himself this time. Lola is beautiful! You must have been so excited,” May responded, knowing how much Lola meant to Coulson.

“All the bells and whistles. But that’s not what I wanted to show you.” Phil popped the trunk and pulled out a case.

“The HAIG! A whole case of it! How did you find it?” May looked over at the case and it was an even better vintage than the one Fury had left them.

“Fitz helped me look all over Scotland when I went to visit them last month. I still feel bad about drinking the Haig without you. I’m still so sorry.” He gave her an apologetic look.

May gave him another big hug, “I knew something was up at the reunion. You were so evasive. You had this plan all along to come visit me.”

Coulson just shrugged, “Yeah, been a long time coming, but I had wanted to wait until you were ready. Seeing you…just made me so happy.”

“Me too”

The two longtime friends and sometime lovers brought the Haig into the house. “Well we’ve got to get our teaching day done before we can break into the Haig.”

“Sounds like a plan, hey where is Flint?” Coulson wondered, knowing that Flint had been staying with May.

“He’s already at school. 5 am combat training before classes start. He said he’ll stay at a friend’s house tonight. But you’ll see him at the SHIELD history class. We can do lunch hour with him.” May responded, giving Coulson his mug of coffee.

“Oh he didn’t have to leave for the evening, I feel bad.” Coulson replied, secretly happy it would just me him and May tonight.

“He offered. Come on Phil, he’s a smart kid. He knew we might want some alone time together.” May answered, as she gathered her lesson plans.

Coulson just smiled at that and helped May put her things in the car. This was going to be a good day.


	2. The Academy Tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melinda shows Phil around the Coulson Academy, and the two talk about their feelings.

Phil had followed May around like a newbie, her giving him the tour of the Coulson Academy. He was a little sheepish at the name, but he understood that she had started the build of it before he came back into her life. It was to honor the man who came before him.

They saw Flint in the hallway of May’s classroom chatting it up with a few of his classmates. His eyes met Coulson’s and he lit up in a bright smile, “Coulson! I’m so glad to see you! I was telling my friends of all your exploits.” Flint and Coulson gave each other a big hug and they entered the class.

“So what are you going to talk about today, Coulson?” Flint wondered, excited to have a guest speaker. Not that May wasn’t a good professor, but he knew how much Phil meant to May, so he was happy that he decided to visit.

“May said you are in the Peggy Carter/SSR era of SHIELD history. So I’m going to talk about that. I have a credible source that told me even more than I knew about Peggy and the SSR.” Coulson replied, setting his briefcase on the front desk.

Flint just smirked, “Oh right, that credible source.” They were referring to Daniel Sousa of course, most of the world didn’t know he had been plucked out of time and still thought he had died all those years ago.

Coulson got the class settled and spent the next hour telling grand stories and making the class laugh with his witty banter. May sat in the back, trying hard not to smile too much. He was really in his element, teaching the class. He was a history teacher in the Framework, combined with his love of SHIELD history, made him an excellent teacher. Maybe she could hire him as an adjunct professor.

The class finished, and Phil, May, and Flint walked to the nearby bistro to have lunch. Flint noticed May eyeing Coulson with a sneaky grin, and knew May was beginning to fall for Coulson again. Flint knew all about her trauma about Sarge, dying, mourning Coulson, and while she was happy as a teacher, he noticed a deep sadness behind her eyes at times. Today, that sadness was gone.

“Hey May, I just remembered that I have a group project to finish, so I’ll see you tomorrow.” Flint left the bistro with a sandwich in hand and a wink to Coulson.

May and Coulson sat down at the bistro, with coffee and green tea in hand. “You did good today, Phil. The students loved you.”

Coulson laughed, “I don’t know about that. But I have to admit, I’ve missed being in the classroom.”

“Phil, would you consider teaching here? I’m always looking for more professors. It wouldn’t have to be a permanent position of you wanted to still travel.” May looked deeply into Phil’s eyes.

Phil put his hand on hers, “Is this you trying to keep be close?”

May blushed, realizing she had shown her hand, “Is it that obvious? I didn’t know what to expect with you visiting. But, I’m happy you are here. I can’t really stop smiling.”

“It is so good to see you smile. That’s the May I remember when we first met.” Coulson kept rubbing her hand as they finished lunch. “So your emotions are back then?”

May took a bite of her sandwich and then answered, “Yeah, it seems like when I gave the Chronicoms empathy, it sort of reset me. I was able to fully feel my own emotions. I can still feel others, but it’s quite faint. Maybe it’s because I haven’t practiced. Being on a SHIELD campus full of young agents, I don’t exactly want to know what they are thinking all the time.”

Coulson cackled, “Yeah I would imagine that would be awkward. I’m glad your emotions are back. Um…do you still…not feel me?”

“Honestly, I’m feeling a little from you, actually. Like this energy between us.” May responded, as she internally used her power.

Coulson’s eyes brightened, “Huh. I wonder why? Maybe because I finally accepted myself. Who knows, empath abilities aren’t well understood.”

May stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “I guess we’ll have to discover it together. I have to teach a few more classes. Feel free to roam around the Academy or join me in my classes. Dinner tonight?”

Coulson’s face was still blushing from her kiss, “Yes, as long as you aren’t cooking. I’ll make reservations for us. Then maybe we can break into that Haig tonight?”

May gave him another hug, “You don’t have to twist my arm. See you tonight then.”

>>>

The restaurant had been fancy, May even put on a dress for the occasion. Phil had so rarely seen her in a dress. Once at her wedding with Andrew, then a handful of times undercover.

“You know, Melinda, this is our first restaurant date.” Phil poured another glass of wine for his lady friend.

Melinda took a sip from her wine and gave Coulson a look. “Huh, I think you are right. As agents we spent many times together undercover on a date.”

“Yeah, remember when that Russian never showed?”

“Yes, because that’s the time I had to drag your drunk ass out of the restaurant.”

Coulson just laughed, “I was quite the lightweight. I guess I needed to master the art of drinking and not getting drunk.”

May took another sip of wine, “So, can you get drunk anymore? Is it…in your programming?”

Phil didn’t like thinking about his programming, but he would have to get used to it. May was needing to figure out what it was like to date a robot. “Technically yes. I can allow myself to get drunk. But at any time I can just purge it from my system.”

The two finished dinner, May definitely a bit tipsy, and Coulson not, so they could drive home safely.

When they got back to May’s house, she gave Coulson whiskey glasses. “Why don’t you fill those up while I change out of this dress. I still can’t get used to wearing heels.”

Coulson poured the Haig and then noticed a record player in the living room. He found many of his favorite albums in her collection. It became very clear to Phil that May still cared for him. He was being careful not to push too hard. He didn’t want to ruin any chance at a future together.

Light jazz began playing out of the record player as May came into the kitchen. “I listen to that one when I’m planning lessons. Or thinking of the team.”

Phil and Melinda took their glasses and headed to the couch, where they sipped on the Haig and listened to the music in silence for awhile.

“So. May. I wanted to ask you. Will you be my girlfriend?” Coulson broke the silence. He almost said “wife” but he didn’t have a ring, and he wasn’t sure if May would even want to date him.

“Aren’t we a little old for that title?”

Coulson gave her his heart eyes in hope.

May sat there, giving it thought. “Yes. I’ll be your girlfriend. We’ll go steady, we’ll date, whatever we want to call it.”

Coulson scooted closer to her on the couch and May let him put his arm around her. “Whew, that was nerve wracking. I thought of what to say and everything but decided to just ask. I know you had wanted space before, and I wanted to make sure you were interested before I asked.”

May snuggled her head on his shoulder, “I thought I wanted to figure it out on my own. Try to have a future without a complicated relationship. But now I see I’ve always been meant to have a companion. A soul mate.”

Phil rubbed her shoulder, “A soul mate. I like that. We can start slow. I know…I know I’m not the same man you fell in love with all those years ago. So I decided to win your heart over. I even wrote a love letters.”

“Really? You really are nerdy. I would love to read them. Do you have them here?”

Coulson reluctantly got off the couch. “Yup, in my trunk. Here, I’ll read you one.”

He poured another glass of Haig and sat back down on the couch. “Okay…here goes. Don’t laugh…I was feeling particularly sappy at the time.”

“Dear Melinda,

I miss you. I’m here reading books in a Scottish pub with Fitz. It’s really not the same. I’ve been giving you space as you asked. But I cannot wait much longer. I’m planning a reunion of sorts, Fitz is helping me set it up. Seeing you, I’m hoping it will stir something back in you. I can’t live my life without you. I want to travel, yes, but I would rather do it with you than on my own. I’m willing to wait until you are ready. I don’t even know if I’ll send this letter. I just needed to get the words out. You are brave, beautiful, stunning, strong. I hope one day we can start again. Start afresh. I know I’m not the man you knew, but I want to be that man. Help me be the Phil Coulson that you loved. I love you Melinda May.”

May sat there stunned, unable to react. It was beautiful. It showed the pain of him being alone, recognizing he’s not the same person he was. But that he was willing to become that person if she could only help him.

“I know, it’s dorky. But I can’t change how I feel.”

May pulled him in with a passionate kiss. “I can’t change how I feel either. And I feel like this is right.”

The two soulmates finished their kiss with huge smiles on their faces. “Like I said, Melinda, we can go slow.”

Phil and Melinda spent the rest of the evening talking on the couch, him rubbing her tired feet as she began to fall asleep. Phil didn’t need sleep, so he sat there for a long time watching her rest. Eventually, he carried her to her bedroom.

For the duration of the night, Phil read books, snacked on whatever was in May’s fridge, and grinned to himself. It was really fun, getting to date again. He couldn’t wait until she would wake and he would see her beautiful eyes again. Maybe he would take that professor position after all. The two could travel on their holidays. But for now, he’ll be content hearing her lightly snore from her bedroom, knowing she accepted him as he was. And one day, hopefully soon, she would feel comfortable enough that he could propose to her. Because of course, he already had a plan.


	3. To New Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melinda and Phil have been dating for a month and have to decide if they want to take things further.

The next month went by swiftly for Phil and Melinda. Phil settled into May and Flint’s house as if he always belonged there. He made breakfast every morning for Flint and May, who often had early mornings at the Coulson Academy. He would pick up the house, grab groceries, and there was always a fresh bouquet of flowers on the kitchen island. Phil learned early on the May loved flowers, and enjoyed picking out new ones at the farmer’s market every Saturday.

May was quite busy during the week as midterms were nearing, so Phil made sure she always had a steady stash of green tea and snacks in her office. Phil also took the time to do guest lectures for different professors, as well as becoming the tour guide for potential recruits. May would sometimes see him from her campus office window, and they would catch an eye and smile.

The two of them continued to take it slow, romantically, but the companionship and very married lifestyle came naturally to the both of them. For the first time in their lives, they didn’t have to fight some big fight. They didn’t have the fate of the world on their hands. They could just…Be. Phil found out that Melinda loved the beach, and so they would drive out there almost every Sunday, toes in the sand, talking about life.

One Sunday morning on their usual barefoot walk on the beach, Phil took Melinda’s hand and said softly, “Happy one month.”

May just laughed, squeezing his hand, “So we are celebrating monthly dating anniversaries.”

Phil smiled with his soft eyes, “Sure! Why not? You don’t have classes tomorrow, so I was thinking we could do a drive tonight. Maybe go chase the sunset.”

The ocean breeze wafted in as the two stood there, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She gave Phil a kiss, and the two finished their walk.

May finished up some grading back at the house, while Phil got a picnic ready for the evening. “Does red wine sound good?”

“Always. Especially if we are having a meat and cheese platter.” May loved salami and cheese, an easy and delicious snack. She wasn’t a good cook, so learned what were tasty but easy foods were.

Phil secretly packed another bottle of Haig. The two had been trying to save each bottle for special occasions, because it was way too expensive and way too good to have every night. He had another small gift, hidden in his pocket.

May and Phil took to the road, eventually getting on highway 101 to take the coastal scene. Eventually, Phil put Lola into flight mode and put them on a high hill above the coast. He laid out a blanket near the car and all the picnic fixings. Then he took out his guitar. Phil had been learning to play on long nights, as he didn’t need sleep. He would go out to the patio, strum, pick, and sing. Turns out he had a soulful voice, and May would keep her window open so she could hear him sing until she fell asleep.

Slowly strumming, he began a soft song and began to sing.

“Sunset, live music, wine, and dinner? This is quite the one month anniversary, Phil.” May put snuggled into his chest as they ate.

“Mel, I have a song for you.”

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“And here I am on the west coast of America. And I’ve been trying to think of weeks of all the ways to ask you. And now I’ve brought you to the place I’ve poured my heart out, a million times, for a million reasons to offer it to you.” _**(Moment of Truth by FM Static)**_

His voice faded out, and he pulled a ring out of his pocket, “Melinda May, will you marry me?”

May sat there stunned. She didn’t know what to say at first, but looking into his eyes, she knew they were married, in all but name.

“Yes, Phillip Coulson, I will marry you! I didn’t think I could love again, or get married again. But I’ve learned that life isn’t meant to be lived alone. And I want to live it with you.”

May tackled him on the blanket and gave him a fury of kisses. “That’s the May I know!”

The two just laid there for a long time on the blanket, just happy and content. The sunset faded into stars, with a beautiful night sky. She noticed Phil looking up at a particular part of the sky. “Is that were Daisy is?”

“Yes, for now. But I just received a message they are on their way back. They should be here in a week.”

“How long are they staying for?”

“Not long, just a refuel and recruit stop. But long enough, if we want to have our wedding when they are here.”

May glanced at him, surprised, “So soon! Wait, you had this all planned out, didn’t you?”

Phil smiled, “As soon as I heard they were coming back. I want them to be there, I know Daisy wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.”

May cuddled into Phil as the night got cooler, “Guess I have some planning to do!”

“How about we enjoy the night?”

Phil got out the glasses of Haig and poured two. “To new beginnings.”

May responded, “to a new journey.”

The rest of the evening, the engaged couple watched the stars, shared many kisses and drinks of Haig, then flew back home on autopilot with Lola. A handy feature, Phil said.

And how the rest of the night went, well, let’s just say, it was magical.


End file.
